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Monday, 27 October 2014

Part 2

Topping up!

Thursday
23rd October

After much
debating, a little smiling, and ,amazingly, very little coercion, I
was persuaded to go out today. We had projects to finish. One of our
bedrooms was nearing completion from the biannual slopping of paint,
and the NEW bathroom blind needed putting up (the blind being new,
not the bathroom, of course. The paint slopping and slapping had
already taken place in the “littlest room”.) I set out on my
usual game of search for a suitable tool, a game played every time I
look for the unbent, unknarled and correct fitting implements needed
to finish off. Every nook and cranny searched, I made do with
something close, but not quite right for the job, put up the new
brackets, measuring to ensure both straightness and precision spacing
for the said blind, only to find that the blind was crucially just
out of true with my professional workings. In other words, it don't
fit. Bent where it should meet the bracket. Boy, did we laugh!!!! I
left my workstation, entered the bedroom only to realise that the 3
packs of picture hanging brackets , yes I buy things in triplicate
hoping I have a 3/1 chance of finding them, were erm... absent. Boy,
did we laugh!!!! So tidying up, I was casually asked if I would join
a hunting party, to search Wilko's for more picture hanging
paraphernalia, and, possibly a couple of beers from the festival
collection at JDW's. Humbly, I agreed. How could I not. That's how we
ended up in The Ice Barque at 3pm on a Thursday afternoon. As only
“The Dutch One”, from the festival was on, although “Freak of
Nature was STILL “Available Soon”, I decided to try Devil's
Backbone Brewing Company's “American IPA” at 5.2% and a Keg beer.
Yes a Keg! Now brewed at Bank's of Wolverhampton from an original
recipe from the US DB Brewery, I was very, very surprised by this
craft beer. Absolutely packed with punchy flavours, with lime and
orange zest coming through, resulting in a dryness in the finish.
Only problem I had with it was it was served VERY cold. Would I have
another? Well, all things considered, although it is kegged, a touch
too fizzy and oh so cold, the flavour is quite intriguing, so, Yes, I
could see myself sipping another. T'other 'arf had, and enjoyed, The
Brouwerij't Ij ISA, which seems to be quite a staple at both JDW's
during the festival. Drinks finished, we popped across to The
Yarborough to see their offerings. I chose a pint of Harviestoun's
Porter, the 4.5% “Old Engine Oil”, a rich, dark and sweet beer
which goes down very smoothly. My half-pint taster went for
Brewster's “Brewer's Dozen” . The taste of this Strong Ale is
quite malty, with a sharp citrus kick. I liked the overall taste of
this one, but Jane thought the finish was a little too sharp and
bitter. We then chose 3 tasters of Rooster's “Union Gap” a 4.2%
Golden Ale with the mix of its American hops offering a heavy citrus
flavour throughout, the equal strength “Uncle Sam Hop Burst” ,
another zesty Golden Ale with a long dry finish which includes hints
of grapefruit, from Cotleigh along with Theakston's “Four and
Twenty” a full bodied and extremely malty tasting Best Bitter also
4.2%. We also sampled the wonderful “Whitstable Bay Pale Ale”
3.9% of Shepherd Neame's finest

. We have had this many times before,
on the brewery's doorstep and it certainly tasted as refreshing and
hoppy as it always has. With a subtle pine aroma and a slight
sweetness in the palette, a true classic. I finished on the malty,
rich flavoured Porter “Hitchen Old Dark” from Banks' &
Taylor. A 4.8% brew, there are subtle notes of chocolate within,
along with a smooth, long, nutty finish. To choose just one stout or
porter to champion this festival is impossible. Every one I have
tasted has been of the best quality.

Friday 24th
October

We had our 6
year old Granddaughter staying on Friday evening, Girlies night, I
was told, pub again, I believe, and so it came to pass. I nipped out
for some solace from the nattering, whilst a lasagne was roasted to a
crisp in the oven and sticky cakes were baked. First, a flying visit
to The Ice Barque, where The Freak was still “Available Soon”, I
chose to forego anything else and left, whence, I strolled back to
The Yarborough for my first drink! A good festival line up greeted
me, so more ticks will be added to my list. My first grouping
consisted of Evans Evans “Artisan Cluster Nut” a fruity, slightly
spiced seasonally brewed ale. At 4.4% a good session beer, but one
could get bored of the slightly plain overall taste, Arundel “Autumn
Breeze” a 4.6% Premium Ale which offered a chocolate and berry
flavour along with a roast malt aroma,and

“Camarillo from the White
Horse stable (!!). The final offering was a Golden Ale of 4.5% which
had a slightly peachy taste to it, along with a dry citrus finish. A
very pleasant beer worth sampling. I finished on a beer often seen in
bottles, Marston's “Oyster Stout”. At 4.1%, this beer seemed to
be lacking in body, and was more Mild than Stout. A disappointment to
the bottled version. Never mind. I gazed out of the window, half
expecting to see a smoke signal from home, billowing in the early
evening sky. “Bring Garlic Bread, Now” I imagined, texted T'other
'arf to see if my imagination was correct,(it was!) and decided to
wend my way back to the cacophony that usually greets me when on
Grand-parenting duties. Love it!

Saturday
25th October.

We had
organised to drop the wee one off at dancing on Saturday afternoon,
get the Irish lotto, and the UK lotto, jump on a train and have an
afternoon in “Meggies” ( Cleethorpes to the non colloquial
speaking outsiders).The plan, for once, worked impeccably. We were
soon on the 14-40ish choo choo to the seaside. With a festival to
check out AND a couple of other inns to visit, we agreed to walk down
to The Notts, and start our little expedition there. Entering, we saw
a reasonable array of Ales on tap, but decided that Robinson's
“Hartley's Cumbria Way” Golden Ale would be our starter.4.1 %,
this beer had by a nice, spicy malt body followed by fruity, citrus
notes, in the long and dry finish.A well balanced beer from
Robinson's. Whilst T'other 'arf stayed with the Golden Ale, I chose
to try Thwaite's 4.3% “Handsome Devil”, a Premium Ale with a
reddish hue, that starts off with a gush of maltiness and leads to a
late hop finish. Another good beer served to perfection in this local
POTY. Although enjoying the ambience, we thought we would look in on
the neighbouring Willy's Pub, home of Willy's micro-brewery. I have
never been head over heals with this establishment, I find it can be
a bit pretentious at times, but, after not visiting it for a couple
of years, we gave it a go.First impressions were the lack of ales.
Only 2 available, and only one from the on-site brewery.. Through the
lack, we chose to try “Willy's Original” a 3.8% bitter. It was as
it usually is, rather thin and insipid in taste. Bland, in fact, and
served oh so cold. Not the best experience, but maybe past visits
have clouded my, sorry, our judgement. I will review again, hopefully
with more choices to behold. With a festival to catch, and a train
too, we wandered down to The Coliseum Picture House, JDW's
Cleethorpes establishment.Busy as usual, we were eventually served,
and chose a pint of the quite herbal tasting, dark,sweet and fuity
“Trojan Horse” a 5.5% Strong Ale from the Caledonian Brewery,
whilst a half of Titanic's “Hop Abroad” was also sampled. This 5%
Ale proclaimed, in the festival notes, to be built to travel the
world. With an abundance of hops from all over globe in the glass.
Well, the taste we had from this beer would best be described as post
iceberg! It sank, as far as we were concerned. Too heavy in hops and
too complex to determine what flavour was coming through.

Our final
drinks were half a Bath Ales “Prophecy”, a light, zesty bitter at
3.9%, with a long dry finish, for the Lady and a pint of Liberation
“American Brown Ale” which I have tasted and reviewed before.As
the Night Trolls arrived in trhe resort, we left to catch the train
back to Grimsby. There was one waiting, result. As we walked down the
platform I enquired of the train guard awaiting outside his charge
“ Are we really catching a train with only 20 seconds to spare?”
“No, Sir,” came the reply, “This train leaves in 4
seconds!”..and it did.Nice one.

Back in The
Yarborough, a place between Cleethorpes and a healthy kebab, I
finished the evening with Oakleaf Brewers “Blake's Gosport Bitter”
a deep, dark beer with liqourice and treacle undertones going on, and
packing a punch at 5.2%, whilst the half was the muddy looking, but
quite brilliant tasting “Hazy Hoedown”.We enjoyed our drinks,
chatted to one of my work collegues, out with her T'other 'arf , (Hi
Rach, told you I'd give you a mention...question is can you
remember!!), and prepared ourselves for our long awaited grub. As the
International Dateline, those Greenwich elfs or whoever, had given us
an extra hour, we were in no hurry, but time and tide along with fast
food, wait for no man,so we were soon in one of those wonderful
palaces of future indigestion. The end to another perfect day!!

About Me

I am a passionate Real Ale Drinker (not a drunkard) who, along with " T'other 'arf", try to give an independant view on beer and boozers on my little blog. The haggard look comes free with 4 Grandchildren. I love travelling around this sceptered Isle of ours, but work commitments and finances stop me from being so prolific in my excursions. Roll on retirement and that free bus pass! I also slave away at my allotment ,follow Grimsby Town (sadly these days, only on the radio) and enjoy cooking and brewing.
Confucius, He say " Tis better to be a diamond with a flaw than a pebble with none"
Grimsby born, Grimsby bred.Strong in arm Thick in 'ead